


The Meaning Of Motherhood

by psychicdreamsandangelwings



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Bullying, Carl Is A Great Big Brother, Homophobia, Homophobic Language, I promise, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M, Mother's Day, Teacher Maggie, This Is Happier Than It Sounds
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-30
Updated: 2015-09-30
Packaged: 2018-04-22 18:39:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4846127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/psychicdreamsandangelwings/pseuds/psychicdreamsandangelwings
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's Mother's Day and to Judith's dismay her class is making cards for their Mothers. She cheers up slightly when her teacher convinces her to make something for her Dads, just to show how much they mean to her, but when one of her classmates ruins it at the last minute Carl finds a way to cheer her up.</p>
<p>Based on this prompt I received from Twitter:</p>
<p>I like the way you write Rick, Daryl, and the kids as an adopted family so I was wondering if you could do some kind of fic centered around that? Like it could be Mother's day and Judith has always hated it because she doesn't have a Mom (maybe she even resents her because she was abusive and doesn't think mom's are as nice as everyone says they are?) but her teacher convinces her to make a present anyway only it gets ruined by one of her class mates? Idk if this makes sense but I just wanted to read something like this, even though it's not mother's day. Thanks if you ill!</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Meaning Of Motherhood

"Okay kids, Mother's Day is coming up soon and we're going to make Mother's Day cards for our Moms to celebrate all the things they do for us," Judith's teacher, Mrs. Greene says as she addresses the class of fifth graders. The table at the front of the room is filled with everything a kid would need to make cards: scissors, glue, various different colors of construction paper, glitter, markers, crayons, and colored pencils. Everything is neatly organized into sections that Maggie is sure will be messed up by the end of the hour, getting eighteen ten and eleven year olds to neatly put everything away in a timely fashion is nearly impossible. The kids look excited, some of them even cheer. Making something is always better than doing actual work in their eyes.

"Today we only have time for one project, the cards we're going to make, so tomorrow we're going to make a special present to go with the cards. Go ahead and grab what you need from the table so we can get started." Everyone rushes to the front of the room and Maggie moves out of the way so the kids can grab what she needs. It takes her a second, too busy making sure everyone is being fair in the materials they grab, to realize that Judith is still at her desk.

Judith can hear all the other kids laughing and talking about what they're going to make, they're all excited to get started, but she always hates this time of year. Teachers always have their students make presents for their moms but she doesn't have one and she doesn’t want to have one. She doesn't remember much about the time she spent with Sarah, she never calls her mom, before her daddies took her and Carl in. She only remembers that her name and that she was really mean, especially to Carl, and she doesn’t like it when people say all mothers love their children because they don’t.

"Hey Judith," Maggie says as she kneels next to Judith, resting a gentle hand on her shoulder, while everyone else is preoccupied with picking out colors for their cards. "You don't want to make a special card?"

"I don't have a Mommy," Judith says, looking down at her entwined hands. "She's mean and doesn't want me."

Maggie sighs and scratches at the back of her head, every year she gets at least one student who, for one reason or another, can't make a Mother's Day card. She's gotten pretty good at coming up with alternative situations that make it easier on the kid involved, nobody should feel left out simply because they don’t feel they can participate in an activity. She's fully aware of Judith's situation, Maggie and her family are really good friends with the Dixon-Grimes family, and knows firsthand how tough this time of year can be for her and Carl both. "You can still make something for your dads if you want, they always like when you make them stuff."

"But they aren't girls," Judith says, looking up at Maggie. "They aren't mommies and I don't want them to be."

Judith is still young and it's hard for her to understand that not all moms act like hers had, sometimes she lashes out at those who don't understand the situation and suggest her Mom actually does love her. "But they do the job of a mom, even though they're both boys. They love you very much and they always make sure you’re safe and happy. You don't have to make a Mother's Day card for them, after all this is just a time of year to recognize the hard work our... parent does for us," Maggie explains, choosing her words carefully. "You can just make a normal card that thanks them for everything they do for you.

"I don't want to make a card," Judith says, starting to perk up a little bit even though she still seems a little skeptical.

"What do you want to make them?" Maggie asks, figuring it might be better if she stops offering suggestions and just asks what she wants to do.

"They like when I draw them pictures," Judith says, lips slowly breaking out into a smile. "Maybe I could draw them a picture?"

"Sure," Maggie says with a smile, reassuring her. "Whatever you want to do for them, they'll love it either way. You can even write them a message on the back, I can help you with the words you don't know how to spell."

"Okay," Judith says, jumping up excitedly. She wraps her arms around Maggie and hugs her tight. "Thanks Maggie, I'm gonna make them the best picture ever!"

Maggie smiles and ruffles her hair. Judith is usually really good at making sure she only refers to her as Mrs. Greene at school, and the times she slips up she always reminds her what she’s supposed to call her. But she's so excited, the last thing she wants to do is reprimand her.

"Sure thing," Maggie says, leading Judith over to the table at the front. Most of the material has been picked over and the kids are already working on their projects but there's still some stuff to work with.

Judith grabs what she needs and heads back towards her desk, excited to get started.

* * *

Judith's been working on her picture for at least twenty minutes now when Riley, a boy in her class she really doesn't like but sits at one of the desks in her group, finishes his project and decides to look at everyone else's. "Why are drawing a picture? We're supposed to be making cards," he says, like he’s supreme ruler of the universe, and Judith rolls her eyes.

Judith tries to ignore him, everyone knows Riley is a know-it-all who tries to correct everyone, but it's hard to do when he's staring at her so intensely. "Mrs. Greene said I can make what I want, so I’m drawing a picture."

That seems to shut him up for a few minutes before he realizes exactly what it is she's drawing. "Why are you drawing two guys? It's supposed to be for Mommy's Day."

"I don't have a Mommy," Judith says, sighing heavily as she sets down her colored pencil. "Just Daddies."

"Everyone has a Mommy," Riley says, starting to sound confused. "That's just how it is."

"No," Judith says, looking up at Riley. She's starting to get frustrated, she’s already finished her picture and now she just has to do the writing. "Not me. I'm adopted."

“Hahaha,” Riley says, laughing obnoxiously. Maggie looks over to see what’s going on but Riley goes quiet and eventually Maggie turns back to the kid she’s trying to help. “Nobody loves you.”

“No,” Judith says, trying to fight back tears. “That’s not true. My daddies love me.”

“You don’t even have a Mommy!” Riley says, voice low enough so as not to draw the attention of Maggie. “Nobody likes you.”

“I don’t need a Mommy, mommies are mean,” Judith says, glaring at Riley. “I only need my daddies, they love me and my big brother.”

"Your daddies are gay?" Riley asks, disgusted look crossing his face.

"I guess so, the love each other," Judith says, not sure what the problem is.

"That's gross!" Riley says, scrunching up his face. "My Daddy says boys shouldn't be with boys because God hates faggots, they're supposed to be with girls."

Judith's never heard that word before but she assumes it's not nice and she doesn't like the fact that Riley is talking mean about her Daddies. "My Daddy says that's just ignorant."

"What does that mean?" Riley asks.

"I don't know," Judith says, rolling her eyes. "I just know my Daddy is always right and that means your Daddy is ignorant." 

"That sounds mean," Riley says, crossing his arms. "You're not being very nice right now."

"You called my Daddies a mean name and said they're gross," Judith says, glaring at Riley. "That makes you mean."

"It doesn't even matter because you're adopted," Riley says, teasing lilt to his voice. "Nobody even wants you."

"My Daddies want me," Judith says, starting to feel sad again. She doesn’t like where this situation is going. "They love me."

"Your daddies are stupid," Riley says, stepping towards Judith. "Just like you."

"You’re stupid!" Judith says, standing up from her desk. "And mean and I hate you."

Maggie's on the other side of the room, helping another one of her students spell a word, when she notices Judith and Riley are starting to get loud again. "What's going on?" she asks as she stands up and starts walking towards them. 

Before she can reach them Riley picks up Judith's picture and rips it up into small pieces before he throws them on the ground. "Why would you do that?" Judith asks, starting cry despite the fact that she hates crying in front of people.  

"Because they're faggots!" Riley yells, clenching his fists, "and you were mean." By now the entire class has stopped their projects to watch the confrontation going on. 

"Riley Thompson," Maggie says, appalled that a fourth grader would even use that language. "We don't use that kind of language, do you understand me? Now say sorry to Judith for making her cry and ripping up her picture."

Riley mumbles a hesitant apology but it's clear to everyone he doesn't mean it, not in the slightest. 

That's when the bell rings, singling the end of class. Everyone takes a few seconds to register what that sound means, too entranced in what's going on with Judith and Riley, but once they realize that school's over they jump into action. Riley moves to gather his stuff but Maggie stops him with a hand on his shoulder. "Oh no," she says. "You're in trouble, you and I are going to the principal’s office and we're going to talk to your parents about that word you used."

Riley doesn't protest, just moves to gather up his stuff. Maggie waits until he's gone before she addresses Judith. "I'm sorry he ruined your picture, did you want me to help you tape it back together?" 

"No," Judith says, wiping at her eyes. "It's okay." She brushes off Maggie's hands and gathers her stuff before she heads out the door, too upset to really do anything about it.

Maggie wants to do something, but right now she has to focus on something more important. She'll call the guys tonight and let them know what happened with Judith.

* * *

It only takes Carl a few minutes to walk from the high school to the elementary school where he's supposed to pick Judith up before they walk home together. Judith's standing on the sidewalk by the fence when he gets there. She makes her way towards him the second she sees him. As she gets closer to where he is he can tell something is wrong. Her eyes are puffy and red and it's obvious she’s been crying. 

"Judith?" Carl asks when she stops in front of him. "What's the matter?"

Judith shrugs and starts walking home, trying her best to act like nothing had happened. "Nothing."

"You're crying," Carl says, feeling protective instinct come over him at the thought of his baby sister crying, and rushes to catch up with her. "Dis something happen at school?"

The two of them walk a few more blocks before Judith says anything. "We made Mother's Day cards today and I didn't want to make one because we don't have a mommy and mommies are mean."

"Jude,” Carl says, picking his words carefully, “you know not all moms are mean. Some of them are really nice." Judith's always been sensitive when it comes to this topic, their past clouds her judgment too much and sometimes she has a hard time understanding that not everyone is like their birth mother. 

"Sara was mean to you," Judith says softly, looking at the ground, and Carl swallows hard. “She didn’t do nice things for us, she didn’t care for us, and she didn’t love us. She was mean.”

He's always been thankful that Judith doesn't remember much about their birth mother. She remembers little things that distorts the image of what a mother should be, like the fact that she frequently hit him and withheld food as punishment, but that’s about it. She doesn't remember the really horrible stuff, partly because she was so little when it happened and partly because he made sure she never saw it, she had done to him before they were placed in foster care. But he remembers it, remembers it clearly, and what she had done still affects him.

"Yeah, but not all moms are like that. Maggie is a mom and she's nice to her kids," Carl says.

"I know,” Judith says, swinging her arms as she walks. “But we were making Mother’s Day cards at school and I didn't want to make one because we don’t have one. So Maggie said I could make a card for Daddies. I said they weren't girls and I didn't want to make them something for Mother's day, but she said that's okay and that I could make them something else just to show how much I appreciate what they do for me."

Judith talks so fast Carl has a hard time following everything she's saying. He's had practice though, Judith almost always talks fast, and figures he picked up on everything that she had said. "Well that's good," Carl says excitedly, still not understanding exactly what had made his little sister cry. 

"After I finished my picture this mean boy in my class ruined everything and we got into a fight," Judith says, voice taking on an angry tone. "He said that I couldn't make a picture for my Daddies because we were supposed to be making cards for our moms. Then he made fun of me for being adopted, said that no one loved me and that boys shouldn't kiss boys. He called Daddies a really mean name and ripped up my picture."

Carl has to try and control his anger, the fact that another kid Judith's age could be so ignorant really makes him angry. He knows he shouldn't blame the kid, it undoubtedly the parents fault for teaching their son that, but he can't help but get a little pissed off. Judith doesn't deserve to be subjected to stuff like that while she's at school.

"I'm sorry," Carl says, wrapping his arm around Judith's shoulders and hugging her tight. "That boy doesn't sound very nice."

"I just wanted Daddies to know I appreciate them. They act like both mommies and daddies and they deserve something special too," Judith says, rubbing at her eyes. "They're nice and they love us even though we had a mean mommy before."

"I'll tell you what," Carl says, refusing to let his little sister down. "When we get home I'll help you make a brand new picture for Daddies and you can write whatever you want on it. Then we can go to the store and buy them something they're really going to like. How does that sound?"

"We can really do that?" Judith says, perking up for the first time since school had let out.

"Yeah," Carl says, smiling. He's not going to lie, letting their Dads know how much they appreciate everything they've done for them is a really good idea. Who cares if it's technically Mother's Day, their Dads have to be both mother and father to them and deserve something special because of it. "Of course."

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you thought and come find me on [twitter](https://twitter.com/assbuttrickyl)


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